Air-hose coupling



C. M. BROWN.

AIR HOSE COUFLING. y

APPLlcAnoN man nov. 2. 191s.

1 ,340,820. Patented May 18, 1920. K

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

CLARENCE M. BROWN, OF MINDEN, LOUISIANA.

AIR-HOSE coUPLING. 'i i Application led November 27, 1918.

To all whom 1f/may con com:

Be it known that l, CLARENCE M. BROWN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Minden, in the parish of Webster and State of Louisiana, have invented new and useful limprovements in Air-Hose Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

The purpose of the invention is to provide a coupling for air brake hose`which will act automatically to couple and uncouple the same when cars are being coupled and uncoupled. To this end the invention comprises a pair of longitudinal tubular members for mounting below the draft bar of a car, the tubular members being mounted in suitable supports with reference to which they are permitted a certain amount of lon- .gitudinal movement and a certain amount of up and down and lateral movements at their free ends. The tubular members terminate at their free ends in Y shaped heads the legs or arms of which lie in diagonally disposed planes so that the head carried by the tubular member on one car may be in a position to connect with the similar head on another car irrespective of whether the first said car is turned end for end. The longitudinal movement of which the tubular members are capable is obtained against the pressure of resilient means whereby connecting heads are always retained in coupled position.

A further purpose of the invention is to provide a device of the character mentioned above which is simple in construction, du-

rable and, effective in operation and inevpensive to manufacture.

Other and furtherpurposes appear 'in the following description wherein the device is set forth in detail.

To the exact construction in which it is shown and described, the invention is not to be restricted. The right is reserved to make such changes or alterations as the actual reduction to practice may suggest, provided such changes or alterations do not deviate from the scope of the annexed claims.

ln the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a view in side. elevation showing the coupled ends of a pair of cars, the improved device being shown in coupled position.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. l.

y Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 18, 1920.

Serial No. 264,382.

3 is a section on the line 3--3 of FiO. Fig.

Fig. 4: is a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5--5 of Figi.

Referring to the drawings, there are shown the draft bars l carryingthe couplings 2 by which the two cars are coupled together. The improved air hose accompanying the device is carried below the draft bar l and comprise an L shaped bracket 3 secured to the draft bar. This L shaped bracket is formed in its depending leg with a hole through which the tubular member 4 passes the latter connecting at one end with a flexible tubular member or hose 5 which is connected with the air systern of the car on which the improved device is used. The tubular member 4 at its other end connects with a YY shaped coupling head 6 whose leg is square in cross-section and made hollow. A spiral spring 8 surrounds the tubular member 4 and is compressed between the end of the leg of the coupling headY and the depending leg of the bracket 8, this spring tending normally to force the coupling head away from the bracket 3.'

The coupling head 6 is formed with two diverging arms 9 which together Ywith the leg 7 give the coupling head the Y. shape referred to. The bore of the leg 7 opens in the crotch formed where the two arms 9 connect with the leg and in this crotch there is set a resilient washer7 made preferably of rubber.

y It will be observed that'the arms 9klie-in a diagonally disposed plane, thus making it possible forcoupling heads of diiferent cars to engage irrespective of whether one of the oars is turned end for end.

In order that the coupling head may be permitted longitudinal movement as wellY as up and down and Vlateral movement, the leg of the coupling head is slidably mounted in a block 1l formedk with a square hole so positioned that it retains the coupling head against angular movement and thus retains the arm of the coupling head in the diagonal plane referred to.Y The block 11 is slidably mounted in a frame 12 with respect to which it may move when the coupling head is moved laterally. The frame 12 is in turn mounted in a frame 14; with respect to which it may move when the coupling head is moved up and down or raised and lowered as it is due to irregularities in the road bed. The frame 14 is securedV on the under face of the draft bar 1. The bracket 8 is provided with no moving part but the .hole formed therein is of sufficient size to permit the tubular member 4 to move freely therein, sothat when the coupling head is subject toup and down or'lateral movement such movements are effected with the point of combination between the tubular member 4: and bracket 3 as a pivot. Y

It is obvious that when two cars equipped with the two coupling headsvare connected together by means of their couplings 2, the coupling heads 6 will be made to connect, the arms 9 of the one straddling the othei' at the lcrotch of the latter, and the connection being maintained iirm by the pressure of the springs 8. With the improved construction it is intended that the valves used in connection Vwith the air brake system of individual cars shall be placed adjacent the sides of the latter so that they may be operated without requiring a brakeman to go between the cars.- With the present invention they are positioned as stated and are included inthe'tubular connections 5. Thus when the air systems of two cars are cou.- pled by means Vof the improved device, these valves are opened without having to enter between cars and thereby the air brake system of the train is made continuous, the air hose coupling remaining in coupled position as long as the draft couplings are in such position. n

.It isbeheved that the foregoing description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings gives a full, clear and comprehensive understanding of the invention and further Vdescription is, therefore, omitted. f

' rlhe invention having been described, what is claimed as new and useful is:

Y the bore of which lopens in the crotch between the diverging arms of the head, a tubular member connecting with the coupling head at theeiid of the leg remote from the arms, an L-shaped bracket for attachment to the draftrbar of a car, one leg of the said L-sliaped bracket being formed with a hole through which the tubular member slidably passes, a spring in surrounding relation to the tubular member and compressed between the bracket and that end of the leg of the coupling head with which the tubular member engages, a block with which the leg of the coupling head slidably engagescbut with respect to which it is se-v cured against angular movement, a frame slidably supporting the block to permit lateral movement of the coupling head, and a second frame havingy means for attachment to the draft bar of a car and slidably supporting the first said frame to permit movement of the latter when up and ,down movement is imparted to the coupling head.

2. In a coupling for air brake hose, a Y- shaped coupling head formed with a leg polygonal in crosssection and bored throughoutvits length, connections whereby theleg of the coupling head may be connected to the air brake system Vof a car, ya block formed with a hole corresponding in shape to the cross-sectional shape of the leg so that the latter may slidably engage the block and be secured against angularmovement with respect thereto, a frame slidably supporting the block to permit lateral move-` ment of the coupling head, a second frame having means for attachment to the ydraft bar of a'car and slidably supporting the first said frame to permit movementof the latter when up and 'down' movement is imparted to the coupling' head, and resilient means tending normally to force the leg of the coupling head in the direction of the length of the leg. l

ln testimony whereof I afliX my signature.

l CLARENCE M. BRowN. 

